Little Caesars(R) Pizza is Teaming with Cell Phones for Soldiers to Provide Calling Cards for our Troops

DETROIT, March 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Little Caesar Enterprises, Inc. today announced it will be a proud sponsor of Cell Phones for Soldiers during the months of March and April. Little Caesars will collect used cell phones to help raise money for calling cards so our troops can call home. Beginning March 1, postage-paid envelopes will be available to Little Caesars customers across the country so they can donate their old cell phones to support our troops. Each retired cell phone donated equates to approximately 60 minutes of talk time for our men and women serving the USA to talk to their loved ones.

"We are excited to be teaming up with Cell Phones for Soldiers to help our troops connect with their friends and family when they are stationed overseas," said Linda "LJ" Jaworski, senior vice president Marketing & Communications, Little Caesar Enterprises, Inc. "Our brave men and women in the military sacrifice so much to protect our freedom, this is just a small way we can show our appreciation for all that they do."

During March and April customers can receive a Little Caesars/Cell Phones for Soldiers postage-paid mailing envelope with their order at participating restaurants. Customers who provide their e-mail address in the space provided on the mailing envelope will receive a special coupon offer for Little Caesars via e-mail.

Cell Phones for Soldiers was founded in 2004 by brother and sister Robbie and Brittany Bergquist, age 12 and 13, respectively, at the time.  To date, they have provided more than 62 million minutes of free calling cards thanks to a national network of individual and corporate supporters donating phones and money. 

"With over 200,000 U.S. troops deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan it is important for us to find ways for them to communicate with loved ones back home," said Brittany Bergquist, co-founder, Cell Phones for Soldiers. "We are thrilled to be working with Little Caesars to help provide calling cards to even more troops who need them."

Cell Phones for Soldiers distributed its 1 millionth calling card during the Thanksgiving Holiday of 2009 to a unit of soldiers serving in Kuwait. Cell Phones for Soldiers is currently distributing over 7,500 calling cards per week to deployed troops and their families, wounded warriors, care packages, airport greeter organizations and deployment ceremonies.

In addition to providing a valuable benefit to out troops, Cell Phones for Soldiers is also providing a service to the environment. There are more than 130 million used phones retired every year in the United States.  Though each phone on its own may not pose much of an environmental risk, the cumulative impact is significant.  Those 130 million phones contain more than 16 million pounds of hazardous waste and only a small percentage are currently recycled.

Little Caesars has been committed to giving back to the community since its founders Michael and Marian Ilitch opened the first store on May 8, 1959. In 2006, Little Caesars created the Little Caesars Veterans Program to thank the men and women who have served in the armed forces and provide them with business ownership opportunities when they return home.

"The Little Caesars Veterans Program is helping veterans change their lives and build for their futures," said Jaworski. "Now, with this program with Cell Phones for Soldiers, we can support our soldiers who are currently deployed and need assistance contacting home."

About Little Caesars

Little Caesars Pizza founders Michael and Marian Ilitch opened their first restaurant in Garden City, Michigan, in 1959. Little Caesars, the fastest growing pizza chain, built more stores in the world in 2009 than any other pizza brand and today is the largest carry-out chain globally with restaurants on five continents. Little Caesars is growing in prime markets across the country, and is offering strong franchisee candidates an opportunity for independence with a proven system. In addition, Little Caesars offers strong brand awareness with one of the most recognized and appealing characters in the country, Little Caesar.

In addition to Little Caesars Pizza, Ilitch companies in the food, sports and entertainment industries include: the Detroit Red Wings, Olympia Entertainment, Olympia Development, Blue Line Foodservice Distribution, Champion Foods, Ilitch Holdings, Inc., Uptown Entertainment, Little Caesars Pizza Kit Fundraising Program, and a variety of venues within these entities. Michael Ilitch owns the Detroit Tigers. Marian Ilitch owns MotorCity Casino Hotel.

For more information about the Little Caesars and available franchise opportunities, visit www.LittleCaesars.com or call 1.800.553.5776.

About Cell Phones for Soldiers

Cell Phones for Soldiers was created by Brittany & Robbie Bergquist of Norwell MA.  After reading a story about a soldier who ran up a huge phone bill calling home from Iraq, these two teenagers decided to help out.  They started by opening an account with $21.00 of their own money.  They are collecting cash donations and old cell phones.  The cell phones are recycled for cash and the proceeds are used to buy prepaid calling cards for our soldiers serving in the Middle East.  Cell Phones For Soldiers is a registered 501(c )(3) non-profit organization.  Their efforts have motivated people and businesses around the country to donate to this worthy cause. 

Their goal is to provide every US soldier with a way to call home for free.  For more information, please visit www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com

SOURCE Little Caesar Enterprises, Inc.